Amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, an increasing number of people have been testing positive in India. As of Friday evening,over 13,800 positive cases have been recorded in India.

A recent debate, regarding the pricing of the COVID-19 test had led to the Supreme Court making it free for the poorer sections of society. The apex court had initially decreed that both private labs and hospitals as well as their government counterparts should make the tests free. This however did not go down well with many.

This is not the first post of its kind. On April 11, The Week published an article based on the experiences of one dialysis patient, Swapnil Kate. In a series of tweets, he had narrated his experience.

Swapnil, who goes regularly for dialysis at an outlet that he calls "very good", with 'brilliant' doctors was asked to get a COVID-19 test done after a person at the centre tested positive.

"One of the testing centre for COVID-19 was Hiranandani Hospital Powai Mumbai. Patients though since SC has ordered that private labs should do it for free, hospital can do it for free. But Hiranandani hospital asked for 6525 Rs for a single test," he narrated, sharing an image of the bill.

Here too, the test price mentioned in the bill is indeed 4,500. However the hospital adds on a host of other charges, some of which Swapnil alleges, do not make sense.

"1000 Rs out of 6525 Rs are for the Doctor's consultation. Every patient of that dialysis centre has their own Doctor's consultation. So they said please wave off these charges of 1000 Rs. Surprisingly the Doctor was not even present to consult," he noted in one tweet.

1000 Rs out of 6525 Rs are for the Doctor's consultation. Every patient of that dialysis centre has their own Doctor's consultation. So they said please wave off these charges of 1000 Rs. Surprisingly the Doctor was not even present to consult. pic.twitter.com/QBFA9YBhlC

He also countered The Week's report, which quoted the Hospital's media representative as saying that the doctor's consultation charges had been reversed after he protested.

"The Hospital Authority is now lying that they tried to wave off my charges. Had it been the case I would have tested there itself. But they said pay the full fees else leave," he added in another tweet.

The incident had caused severe outrage on social media, even as some people defended the Hospital's decision, pointing out that people could always go to government hospitals to get their tests done.

We have to agree, that it is indeed not Shaw's problem. As she told another Twitter user, "I don’t run any commercial diagnostic lab - it’s about understanding simple business economics. We need to ramp up tests for public good - public healthcare is government’s responsibility not of private labs".

Nonetheless, a slightly less caustic approach, on the part of both the hospital as well as those chiming in online might have gone a long way in this time of concern.